Mining apparatus



March 26, 1940. J. F. JOY

MINING APPARATUS 4 Shee-ts-Sheet 1 Original Filed Juney 17, 1936 ww w wenfmf: @dJe/WZ? ay N .mui

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' MINING APPARATUS original Filed June 17, 193s 4 sheets-sheet 2 Win11" .5w

I Hl o im 1 j da J. F. JOY

MINING APPARATUS original Filed June 17, 195sl l March 26, 14940.

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` MINING APPARATUS original Filed June 17, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 au ww uw UWJM MWN QW MQ Q 1% Mw d Y Y ,w O ww 0 /w 7 wm J u il O\ um 70 i %w im m i wm. uw mmw WQ mx mm w \w\\\ /7 f ,.,N/ i QM 7 /w//L \Ow\\ i i m @Xi ,-in....m mw. wi,m mm.--:IMNMHMU @di E mii TQ mm mm AT\\ Patented Mar. 26, v1940 PATE orties 'g f MINING APPARATUS Joseph -F. Joy, Pittsburgh, Pa., assigner to li/Iassachusetts Application .l une 17,`

Sullivan Machinery Company, a corporation of 1936, serial No. 85,755

'Renewed April 5, 1933 7 Claims.

,This invention relates to mining apparatus, and more particularly to improvements in the dustallaying means for the kerf cutter of an apparatus for cutting coal. f

-An object of this invention is to provide lan improved dust-allaying meansl for the kerf cut- -ter oi a coal mining apparatus, whereby the dust created by the cutters of the keri cutter is effectnally allayed. .Another object is to provide an improved duSt-allaying means for a keri cutter of acoal mining apparatus, Awhereby a supply of dust-allaying liquid is conducted through the kerf cutter into the kerf cut thereby, so that the liquid is eiTectually discharged directly against j the `walls of the kerf. A further objectl is to provide an improved dust-allaying means embodying a source of .liquid supply, a pumping means, means for conducting the liquid discharged from the pumping means into the kerf cutter, and improved discharge means embodied in the keri cutter for discharging the liquid from within the kerf cutter into the kerf cut thereby. A still further object is to provide an improved kerf cutter having improved features of construction whereby a dust-allaying liquid may be conducted through the kerf cutter in an improved manner, and embodying improved liquid discharge means for spraying the `liquid from Within the kerf cutter directly upon the cutters thereof. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will, however,` hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings, there is shown for purposes of illustration one form which the inventionfmay assume in practice. v f

In these drawings- Fig. 1 is a plan View of a coal mining apparatus with the topy cover removed, illustrating the improved pumping means. y

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectionalI View taken substantially on line 'l--l of Fig. 5..

Fig. 6 is anenlarged fragmentary plan view,

Fig. 8 is ya detailed vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 8 8 of Fig. `'7.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged plan view of the ker cutter. y y l y Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross sectional .view taken on linelil-lii of Fig. 9. s v

Fig. ll is anenlarged cross` sectional View taken substantially on line ll-Ilof Fig. 9.

In this y illustrative *embodiment` of theinvention, thev improved dust-allaying vmeans is lembodied in a coal mining apparatus of thetype known asia universal track. cutter, which maybe similar in design to that disclosed in my copending application Serial No; 20,826, filed May 10, i935,` although it will be evident that the improved dust-allaying means maybe incorporated in mining apparatus of Various other types.

As illustrateoLzthe ycoal mining apparatus generally comprises awheel-supported base l supported on truckwheels 2 adapted to run along., a mine trackway 3.r Mounted on the forward` end of the base for rotation about a vertical axis is a horizontal turntable 4 having pivotally mounted thereon at 5 for swinging movementin avertical direction with vrespect thereto, a boom, 6. ..25 Mounted on the outer extremity of the boom. for rotation about'the longitudinal axis' of the boom, is a rotatable head l, in lturn having pivotally mounted thereon at 8, on an axis at right angles to the headA axis,` a cutter supportr 9. Pivotally 30 mounted on the cutter support at I0 for swinging movement with respect thereto about anv axis at right angles to the cutter support axis, is a swingable hanger Il carrying an Ielongated plane lrerf cutter i2. As described in the above `.3.5 mentioned application, devices are provided form' rotating the turntable, for. swinging the boom .f relative to the turntablafor. rotating the head relative to the boom, and for swinging the `cutter l support relative to the head; but since these di- 4,0 vices do not per se enter into this invention', further detailed description thereof is considered unnecessary. y

Now referring to the improved dust-allaying means, it will `be noted that. mounted on andA shaped to iit the top of the base lis a-low con'lpact,.horizontal"tank i4 for containing a liquid, preferably water, the tank provided with usual f iillingl caps i5 and Vbeing of afabricated construction preferably composed of sheet metal,V and comprisingvanouter shellV IB having trans*- verse partitions "il extendingvertically between the top and bottom of the shellyat points spaced longitudinally of the tank, and these partitions cooperate with' a plurality of brace rods I8 in la the bracing of the tank shell. Each of the transverse partitions is provided at the top and bottom thereof with apertures I9 and 2i! for connecting together the chambers within the tank formed by the partitions, so that the interior of the tank is in reality in the form of one elongated chamber. Arranged within a chamber 2l at the forward end of the tank and having a hinged cover 22, is a pump 23 of any appropriate commercial design, driven by a motor 24, herein preferably an electric motor, having its power shaft 25 connected through a coupling 2li to the g shaft 21 of the pump. The pump intake 28 is Ais operating on an incline so that only one conduit, due to the inclination of the tank, is below the liquid level. Each of the conduits 2S and 3U is provided with an automatic check valve 32 and 33, so that the liquid in the conduits cannot flow in a reverse direction back into the tank.

The pump discharge 34 is connected by a ilexible conduit 35 extending downwardly, as shown in Fig. 4, through an opening 35 in the top of the base, frame and passing through the base, over the front truck wheel axle, beneath the turntable, and upwardlythrough the open center of the-turntable; the conduit `extending longitudinally through the boom 6, and at its forward end passing out through an opening 31 (see Fig. 5) in the bottom of the boom'. The forward end of this conduit is connected through an auto- `matic check valve 38 toa short pipe section 39 threaded at 40 within the rearward portion of the hanger frame II, on which the kerf'cutter is mounted. The pipe section 39 communicates through a passage 4I in the hanger frame with a right-angle passage 42 formed axially within a` recess by the head of the screw 43, and the member 45 is formed with a chamber 46 surrounding the screw and with which the passage 42 cornmunicates.

As shown in Figs. '7 and 8, the chamber 4t is connected by ya conduit in the form of a bent tube 41, threadedly connected at one end within thev block member 45 and at its opposite end within a block member 48, similar to the block member 45 and similarly clamped in position by a screw 49. The member 48 likewise has an annular chamber 50 surrounding the screw and communicating with an axial passage 5I formed in the screw 49; and this passage 5I communicates through a passage52 with a right-angle passage 53v formed in a depending portion 54 oi' the hanger frame II. Threaded within the forward side of the depending portion 54 is a short pipe section 55 communicating 4with the passage 53 and extending forwardly through a stuling box 56 mounted within the rear end of the kerf cutter, the forward portion of the pipe 55 being y As is usual in mining apparatus of the type disclosed, the kerf l cutter is mounted within a longitudinal guideway 58 formed in the hanger frame l I, and threaded hanger frame to take up any slack in the endless cutter chain 52 mounted for circulation about the margin of the cutter bar 63 of the kerf cutter. The telescopic arrangement of the pipe 55 within the bore 51 permits such longitudinal adjustment of the cutter bar with respect to the hanger frame While maintaining, due to the stuing box 56, a fluid-tight seal between the parts.

Communicating with the foward end of the bore 51 in the cutter bar is a longitudinal passage 65, in turn communicating with a longitudinal passage SS formed within a T-shaped member 61 rigidly welded in position in a slot 88 inthe cutter bar, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. This T-shaped member is formed with a transverse passage 59 communicating with the passage t and with passages 10 and 1I respectively formed in the longitudinal spacing plates 12, 12 oi the cutter bar. The transverse passages 1li and 1I lrespe'ctively communicate with vertical passages 13 and 14 respectively, formed in the bar plates 11 rigidly secured to the spacing plates 12 in a well known manner.

The passages 'I5 and 15 communicate with transverse passages 18; formed in the plates 11,,

and extend out through enlarged openings v`,19

formed in the side edges of the plates 11. The openings 19 are threaded at 8D to receive suitable plugs so that certain of the passages 'I8 may be blocked ofi if desired, thereby to varythe quantity of liquid discharged from the cutter b'ar.

The cutter chain G2 is guided in a guideway 8l formed about the margin of the cutter bar, and the passages 18 are so located with respect to the cutter chain guide that the liquid discharged therefrom, as hereinafter described, is sprayed directly against thev cutters 82 of the chain. There are series of vertical passages 13, 14 formed in the plates 12 atthe opposite sides of the bar, at longitudinally spaced points, and these series of passages are connected together by longitudinal channels 83 formed in theI plates 12; anda series The mode of operation of the improved dustallaying means will be clearly apparent from the descriptionl given. The mining apparatus is propelled along-the mine trackway in the manner described in the copending application above referred to, and when the apparatus is located adjacent the coal face, the boom, head and cutter u v support or the cutter adjusting mechanism are adjusted to locate the kerf cutter in the desired position with respect to the coal face. ter bar is then sumped in, moved arcuately across the face, and thereafter withdrawn from the coal to form a kerf in the coal. During the kerf cut-2' ting operation, the pump 23 driven by the motor 24 may operate to pump liquid from vthe tank I4 through one or the other of theconduits 29,

The cuty 30 and through the discharge conduit 35 extend- I ing along the boom, past the check valve 38,*a'ndE through pipe 35 to the passage 4l' in the cutter bar hanger. The liquid flows from ther passage il through passage 42, chamber 45, the tube 4l, the chamber 5B, passages 51, 52- and 53, the telescoping connection 55, 5'! between the hanger frame and the cutter bar, and lthrough passages 65, 66, 69, .10, 1l, 13, 1d, 75, 16 and 13; the liquid being discharged transverselyof the bar directly against the walls of the kerf and on the cutters ofthe cutter chain .so that the dust created by the cutters during thecutting operation is effecn tually 'allayed The flexible conduit between the pump and the kerf cutter permits the latter to be adjusted into any desired position with respect to the portable base, while the iloWeof liquid from the tank to the kerf cutter discharge passages is always maintained. If the apparatus is operating on an incline so that only one of the supply conduits 29, 30 is below the level of the liquid in the tank, the valve Slimay be operated to close .the supply conduit which is above the liquid level,

in an obvious manner. The check valve 38 in the discharge conduit 35 and the check valves 32 and 33 in the supply conduits 29 and 3Q permit rfree flow of liquid through the conduits into the kerf cutter, while they automatically prevent reverse iiow of the liquid through the conduits.

As' a result of this invention it will be noted that an improvedv dust allaying means is provided for the kerf cutter of a coal mining apparatus, so that the clust created by the kerf cutter during the cutting operation is eifectually allayed. It will further be noted that by forming the liquid conducting passages directly within the kerf cutter, it is made possible to discharge liquid directly againststhe wall of the kerf and on the cutters of the kerf cutter.v Itwill still further be evident that by mounting the liquid supply tank directly over the body of the mining apparatus, it is possible to carry directly on the apparatus a relatively large quantity of dustalloying liquid, and by the provision of the motor-driven pump it is possible to obtain a relatively powerful spraying action of the liquid as it is discharged from the passages in the kerf cutter directly within the kerf, the liquid discharging from the kerf cutter passages with a jet-like spraying action. Other uses and advantages of the yimproved dust-allaying means will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

r1While in this application there is shown, for purposes of illustration, one form which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form is shown for illustrative purposes only, and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In a mining apparatus, the combination with a portable base and a kerf cutter swivelly mounted on said base to swing relative thereto about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the kerf cut thereby, of dust allaying means for the kerf cutter including a liquid supply tank mounted on said base, a pump, means for conducting the liquid discharged from said pump to the kerf cutter irrespective of the position of the latter about its swivel including passage means extending through the kerf cutter swivel, and means for discharging said liquid from within the kerf cutter into the kerf cut thereby.

2. In a dust allaying means for coal mining machines, the combination with a support and a-kerf cutter pivotally mounted thereon to swing n relative thereto about an axis perpendicular' to the plane of the kerf cut thereby, of means for supplying a clust allaying liquid through the kerf cutter into the kerf cut thereby irrespective of the position of said kerf cutter about its pivot relative to said support including liquid con-duct? ing passage means extending through the pivotal mounting of the kerf cutter.

3. In a dust allaying means for kerf cutters, the combination with a support, a hanger frame swivelly mounted thereon, and a kerfI cutter carried by said swivelled hanger frame, said kerf rcutter swingable with said hanger frame aboutA an axis perpendicular to the plane of the kerf cut thereby, of means for supplying dust allaying liquid through the kerf cutter into the kerf cut thereby including liquid conducting passage means extending throughthe swivel mounting of said swivel frame, said passage means including and a iiuid conducting passage in said support and with which said hanger frame passage communicates in all swivelled positions of the hanger frame relative to said support.

4. In a mining apparatus, the combination with a support an-d a kerf cutter swivelly mounted on said support to swing relative thereto about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the kerf cut thereby, of dust allaying means for the kerf cutter including a source of liquid supply, and means for conducting liquid from said source to the kerf cutter irrespectiveof the position of the latter about its pivot relative to saidsupport including passage means extending through the swivel mounting for the kerf cutter'.

5. In a mining apparatus, the combination with a support and a kerf cutter swivelly mounted on said support to swing relative thereto about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the kerf cut thereby, of dust allaying means for the kerf cutter including a source of liquid supply, means for conducting liquid from said source to the kerf the kerf cut thereby.

6. In a mining apparatus, the combination with a support, a hanger frame swivelled on said support and a kerf cutter mounted on said hanger frame to swing with the latter relative 20. a fluid conducting passage in said hanger frame to said support about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the kerf cut by said kerf cutter, of dust allaying means for conducting a dust allaying liquid to said kerf cutter irrespective of the swivelled position of the latter relative toy said support including a source of liquid supply and means for conducting liquid fromA said source to the kerf cutter including a liquid connection with said liquid source at the side of said hanger frame opposite to that from which said kerf cutter projects, passager means forl conducting liquid from said liquid connection through said hanger frame to said kerf cutter, and communicating passage means extending through said kerf cutter for conducting liquid through the kerf cutter and for discharging the liquid into the kerf cut thereby.

7. In a mining apparatus, the combination with a support, a hanger frame swivelled on said support, a kerf cutter mounted on said hanger frame for longitudinal adjustment relative thereto and swingable with said hanger frame relative to said support about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the kerf cut by said kerf cutter and means for adjusting said kerf cutter longitudinally relative to said hanger frame, of clust allaying means for saidkerf cutter for conducting a dust allaying liquid to the kerf cutter irrespective of the longitudinally adjusted position of the latter relative to said hanger frame or the swivelled position of said hanger frame relative to said support including a source of liquid supply, a liquid connection with said liquid source at the side of said hanger frame opposite to that from which said kerf cutter projects, passage means for conducting liquid from said liquid` connection through said hanger frame to said kerf cutter including a telescopic fluid connection between said hanger frame and the inner end of said kerf cutter, and communicating passage means extending through vsaid kerf cutter ror conducting the liquid through said kerf cut- 1.0

ter into the kerf cut thereby. JOSEPH F. JOY.` 

